Is your pet chewing, licking, sneezing...?

is your pet

chewing, licking, sneezing, itching, red, wheezing, coughing? it could be allergy

When would I see allergy symptoms in my pet?

This depends on the cause of the animal’s allergy problems.

If it has an allergy to pollens you might see all or more symptoms in the spring or summer. If, however, it has a problem with indoor substances, such as house dust or mites, or food related allergies, you are more likely to see year round allergies.

My pet is currently on ApoquelTMor CytopointTM, why do I still need to proceed with testing/treatment?

Apoquel & Cytopoint are anti-itch tools developed to provide short-term relief and can be used in conjunction with hyposensitization. Anti-itch medicines relieve the immediate itch while treatment builds tolerance to the offending allergens. Allergen-specific hyposensitization remains the safest option for the core treatment of atopy1.

“We must be very cautious and emphasize the need to do a complete workup on the dog for underlying cause rather than just treating the pruritus” - Bruce Hansen, DVM, DACVD, Dermatology and Allergy Services for Animals2

A TRUE ALLERGY SUCCESS STORY!!

Willie has been on allergy shots for a short 3 months.....he is down to one allergy pill, and no hives! My advice to people who are not sure about allergy shots, or testing....DO IT!!!

It saves you and your pets sanity of playing the “guessing” game.

Thank you Spectrum Veterinary! -Tina K.

Can dogs & cats really have

D

ALLERGIES?

ogs and cats, just like humans, can have allergies. More than 30% of all skin irritations in these animals can be attributed to allergies.

What are allergies?

An allergic reaction is one in which an individual reacts to a normal substance in the environment. These substances are called allergens and include pollens, molds, animal hair, house dust, fleas, foods and many more. Allergens cause reactions through skin contact, inhalation or ingestion. Allergic animals

Why are my pet’s symptoms worse some times than others?

yes!

possible. Steroid drugs are often used for short-term relief

of symptoms, but prolonged use of steroids can have serious side effects and never really addresses the root

Allergens are cumulative in their effect on animals. The more

cause of allergies. Hyposensitization is another alternative

allergens an animal is exposed to at any one time increases

and can be formulated into allergy injections or allergy

the chance of allergy symptoms, as well as the extent of

drops depending on the patient’s needs and what your

the reaction. The easiest way to picture this “threshold”

veteriniarian feels is best. Regardless of which option you

phenomenon is to think of drops of water in a bucket, sooner or

choose, treatment sets are formulated specifically for your

later the bucket will overflow, much as the immune system “overflows” beyond it’s threshold. For this reason, time of a symptom’s onset is not necessarily an indication of what the

pet based on its allergy test results. The treatment builds up your pet’s tolerance to the offending allergens so it can live more comfortably in its environment, without the worry of

animal is allergic to. An animal with food and pollen allergies

side effects. Please note: Apoquel and Cytopoint, while used

may only show symptoms in the summer (pollen count at its

to address allergy symptoms should not be confused with

highest) because the pollens push it over the threshold.

allergy treatment.

possess IgE antibodies to the specific allergens. These antibodies cause biochemical changes in the body which produce allergy symptoms.

How does an animal show signs of allergy?

While the causes of allergies in humans and animals are the same, the clinical signs displayed may differ. In humans the classic signs of allergy are nasal and respiratory. In animals however, it is far more common to show signs of skin irritations with intense itching. Cats often show more signs of respiratory distress (as in humans) than dogs.

The classic signs of an allergic animal begin with scratching, feet licking and chewing and face rubbing. As the allergies become more severe, the chewing may eventually lead to bacterial skin infections and large open sores. Food allergies

How can I have my pet’s allergies diagnosed?

How effective is this form of treatment?

After a thorough examination, your veterinarian will decide if

Some allergy symptoms dissipate with time and treatment.

allergy testing is indicated for your pet. Having ruled out other

In other cases animals may require continued allergy

possible causes, a small sample of blood may be drawn and submitted to Spectrum Veterinary for diagnostic evaluation. There, your pet’s serum will be tested

treatment to maintain tolerance to the allergens in question. With adherence to the treatment schedule, one can expect an excellent chance of elimination of or

for sensitivity to inhalants such as pollens from

reduced dependence on steroid drugs. Improvement

trees, grasses, weeds and shrubs, fungi, house

in most cases is seen after 3-5 months of treatment.

dust and mites, as well as for a host of food types used as ingredients in commercial dog and cat food preparations.

What about food allergies?

What about treatment for my pet’s allergies?

can also cause skin problems, although it is not uncommon

The best form of treatment for allergies is avoidance of

for them to cause vomiting and diarrhea.

the offending allergen/s. In most cases, however, this is not

Since dogs and cats cannot be hyposensitized to foods, elimination is the only form of treatment in the case of food allergies. Should your pet test positive to foods, Spectrum Veterinary will supply your veterinarian with a list of commercially available foods free from the ingredients to which your pet tested positive.

Spectrum Veterinary is proud to offer the latest in allergy testing for Canine, Feline, and Equine allergies with the patented

Serum Allergy Testing and Treatment Program www.vetallergy.com

Provided by: a nextmune company

and your Veterinarian:

Sources Cited: 1. Loewenstein C and R Mueller. 2009. A review of allergen-specific immunotherapy in human and veterinary medicine. Vet Dermatology 20: 84-98.

2. Hansen B, Lewis TP, Stokking L, Rosychuk R, Mckay L and Gloyd K., “Canine Atopic Dermatitis: Building A Lifelong Treatment Plan�, Clinicians Forum, Jan 2017: 1-8.